


The journal

by GenesisPhoenixDragon



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angry Eren Yeager, Diary/Journal, Love Confessions, M/M, Threats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:34:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29196936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenesisPhoenixDragon/pseuds/GenesisPhoenixDragon
Summary: Someone stole Erens journal. Who did it? Why? And what will happen because of it?
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	The journal

“Armin! Armin! I need your help now!” Eren yelled frantically skidding to a halt in front of Armin and Captain Levi.  
“Calm down Eren what's wrong you look like your going to pass out.”  
Eren's eyes flicked to Levi for a moment and he winced.  
Um Armin can we go somewhere private to talk.”  
Levi frowns slightly.  
“What's wrong Yeager.”  
“I...its nothing you need to worry about Captain, its a more personal problem.”  
Armin suddenly looked very worried.  
“Ok Ok Eren calm down, lets go”.  
Eren leads Armin to his cell.  
“My journal is missing!”  
“Oh shit. Did you leave it somewhere?”  
“I never take it out of the cell Armin. Ever. Its always been under the mattress always.”  
“Has anyone but you cleaned in here?”  
“No I’m the only one who does.”  
“Ok so just what level of bad is it if what you wrote gets out?”  
“Armin I wrote about me being Gay. About who I have feelings for. Every private thought. Everything!”  
Armin paled “Ok ok I’ll help you find it, Bright side is that Journal is thick and has a lock on it. Is the key safe?”  
“Yes I have it next to the key dad gave me. Around my neck.”  
“So that means whoever took it can’t actually get in it.”  
“But who would take it Armin, even Mikasa who is infatuated with me would never take my journal.”  
Armin frowns “I’m not sure but don’t worry we will figure it out.”  
“Before or after they figure out how to pick the lock?”  
“Hopefully before.”  
“Armin i’m worried that someone was able to stroll in here and steal from me. Yet leave no evidence that anyone but me was here.”  
“Yeager?”  
Both Armin and Eren tense and look at the captain.  
“O...Oh Captain, did you need something.”  
“What was so important you needed to drag Arlet in here?”  
“Just a personal emergency.”  
He rose an eyebrow “Maybe I can help.”  
Eren went pale and Armin winced.  
“Its very personal Captain.”  
He frowns at that but nods.  
“Dinners ready”.  
They follow the captain up and Eren paused.  
“Hey Captain?”  
“Yes Yeager.”  
“Have you noticed anyone other than me, you or Armin go down here without my being here yesterday?”  
Levi glances at Eren in confusion.  
“It's not a restricted area Yeager, most people have access to the area but of the people I out right seen go down here. Hange, Erwin, Mike and that Jean kid. Why?”  
“Oh um no reason just some stuff in my cell was moved.”  
“Hm odd, no one should have been in your cell unless it was to get you.”  
At dinner Eren and Armin watched Jean to see how he acts.  
Judging by the constant random looks in Eren’s direction he was a good place to start.   
“After dinner, distract him while I check his room.”  
Armin nods in understanding and does just that as Eren slips into the sleeping courter for all the males and finds Jean’s bed and looks through the stuff. Finding a locked chest under the bed.   
He sighs and slips back out.  
Signaling Armin that he could stop.  
“Was it there?”  
“No but he had a locked chest under his bed so he may have it in there. I mean he is the only one that makes sense to have taken it. Probably because he despises me. Plus I don’t see Erwin, Hange, Mike or Levi stealing anything from me. Even that.”  
“Doesn’t hurt to ask what they were doing down there.”  
“You cover Erwin and Mike and I’ll cover Hange.”  
“What about Captain Levi?”  
“If he stole it then i’m already screwed Captain will realize I know its gone and that what he has terrifies me.”  
“True which would make him more curious about it then before.”  
The next day after training Eren heads to Hange.  
“Hange have you been in my cell yesterday?”  
“I was down in the Dungeon looking for Erwin who Shorty stated he saw go down there. Never saw him though. Why do you ask?”  
“Oh just some important items of mine were moved. It just makes me paranoid not knowing who was there and moved them.”  
“I see. Well wasn’t me.”  
“Thanks Hange.”  
At dinner Eren and Armin met back up.  
“Erwin says he was looking for Levi who Mike said was down there. He never went in your cell though. Mike stated he was down there also looking for Hange.”   
“Hange went looking for Erwin who Captain Levi said was down there.   
“So its a circle of opportunity. The only one with no reason so far to be down there is Jean and Captain Levi.”  
“So ask Jean why he was down there?”  
“Pretty much.”  
They approach Jean.  
“Hey Jean why were you in the dungeons yesterday?”  
Jean looks up with a smirk.  
“Why Yeager missing something important.”  
“So it was you” Eren growled.  
“You mean me who took your hidden book. Yes. Though couldn’t open it.”  
“Give it back before I beat you into the fucking ground.”  
Jean laughs at that “What's wrong Eren write something your scared with get out?”  
Eren paled as he glared.  
“So you did, good to know! Can’t wait to get the thing open now.”  
Eren snapped kicked Jean into the wall. Hard. Startling everyone.  
In seconds Captain Levi stood between them.   
“What the hell is going on!”  
“This fucking bastard snuck into my room and stole from me.”  
“So thats what was going on yesterday and why you asked if I saw anyone go down there.” He turns to face Jean arms crossed.  
“Give whatever you stole from him back.”  
He scoffed “He is such a fucking prissy bastard. All this over a fucking journal.”  
Levi twitched in irritation.  
“You stole Eren’s private journal.”  
“Yeah so what. And now he is throwing a fucking bitch fit. Clearly he must have something truly shameful in there he doesn’t want outed. Lets see how long it take me to finally break that stupid lock.”  
Levi kicks him hard “You are going to do nothing of the sort. Everyone is entitled to there own privacy Horse face. So Return it to him now or I’ll be the one to go and find it. You wont like the results.   
“Fine whatever.” Jean leads them to the sleeping area unlocks the chest and toss the still locked journal to Eren. He checks to see if the lock had being breached and it hadn’t.  
He nods to Levi.  
“Good now you snot nosed brat. you’ll be cleaning the whole HQ everyday from top to fucking bottom for a month. Plus running five laps around HQ every morning. Till I say otherwise.”  
“Come on that's bullshit. Just over a fucking Journal!”  
“I believe Levi is actually being to nice. To steal a man's private journal is bad enough but to threaten to expose his private thoughts to others is even worse. “ Erwin stated coldly with Armin standing next to him. Jean scoffs and Eren glares at the man.  
“I know one person looking down on you and probably feels ashamed of you.”  
“Freckled Jesus” Connie stated with a smirk making Jean pale.  
“Who?” Levi asked in confusion.  
“His name was Marco a truly pure hearted person to kind for the likes of this world.” Sasha stated.  
“He died during trost” Connie added.  
“How unfortunate a man he called comrade would betray his other comrade” Armin stated with sadness.  
You could visibly see Jean looking more and more guilty and upset.   
But everyone just filed out and went back to what they were doing. Eren went to his cell sat on his cot staring at his journal.  
It wasn’t long before footsteps sound.  
“Eren...”  
“Yes Captain.”  
“You looked terrified of Horse face reading the journal. Why?”  
“Because Captain I write everything in this. Every emotion I feel. Thought I have on every event and person in my life. This is my tenth Journal. I started when I was eight. Would you want your every thought and feeling about your life and people around you read by one who hates you?  
Levi cringed “Yeah i’d avoid that if I can. But why write it at all?”  
“To vent I guess. Armin is the only one who knows even one of the biggest secrets in this book. But Still I need to vent. A way to get the feelings and thoughts out. So I write it all down. Never expected someone to come in and steal it from here. Specially here of all places.”  
“How did you figure out is was Jean?”  
“It could have only been five people. Hange, Mike, Erwin, Jean and....”  
“Me.”  
Eren nods slowly.  
“Hange was down there looking for Erwin because you told her he was down there, He was down there looking for you, And Mike was down there looking for Hange so that eliminated those three so then it was only Jean and You. I eliminated you from the suspect least as I don’t believe you would steal someone’s private journal. Jean however hates me. So he was the most likely suspect.”  
“You believe Erwin was a suspect.”  
“Personally I doubted anyone but Jean was a suspect but it was a cover all the bases.  
“But you never asked why I was down here.”  
“No I didn’t.”  
“Why?”  
“On the unlikely chance you stole the journal, You would have been made aware I knew it was gone the moment I asked who was down here. Plus your smart. You’d have known where the key was and that if you wanted to get the key you’d expose yourself as the one who stole it.”  
“How?”  
Eren lifted the key necklace showing there was two keys on the string not one.  
“You would have had to lift it from me, and i’m a light sleeper. You could have picked the lock but that to would have given you away.”  
“How so?”  
“Jean can’t pick locks. Only ones from the one hundred and fourth Cadet core that could is me, Annie, Reiner and Armin.”  
“So you trusted I didn’t do it but even if I had you would have figured it out.”  
“Pretty much yeah”.  
“So if everyone you ever met is in there does that mean I am” He teases trying to lighten the mood. He didn’t expect Eren to invent new shades of red from the question.  
“D...don’t ask stupid questions Captain”.  
Levi rose an eyebrow at him.  
“So that's a yes. Why are you so red?”  
“N...No reason. I should go to sleep now.”  
Levi chuckled “Ok ok Good night brat.”  
“Night Captain.” After Levi left Eren found a new hiding spot under a loose stone in the ground and went to sleep.  
The next morning Eren steps out of bed to see Levi standing against the wall. The contemplative look on his face giving Eren pause.  
“Captain?”  
“Hm?”  
“Is something wrong?”  
“You know you can talk to me right?”  
“Of coarse I know that. You’re my captain. What brought this on?”  
“When your Journal was stolen, You could have told me. I would have helped you.”  
Eren gives an understanding smile.  
“It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you Captain. It’s that I didn’t trust whoever stole it to not spill what they read.”  
Captain nods but still had a frown.  
“Are you afraid of how I’d react? That I’d judge you?”  
Eren recoils and sighs sadly.  
“Some things in there would get you at the very least to see me in a very different light. You know the events in my life or at least the major ones. But the thoughts and feeling surrounding them. How I view the people around me, Everything. Will some of it upset you? Possible. I don’t really know how others would react to knowledge that they might not have actually wanted to know. Do I think you would react violently, no. Do I think you will out right judge me. Not really. But Do I believe it will affect your view of me. Yes I do.”  
“You said the one Jean stole was your tenth. Where did you hide the others?”  
Eren points up and Levi follows the gesture seeing a locked chest on a shelf that Eren would need to move the bed to stand on in order to reach.  
“It's rather involved getting it down for me to keep the current one in, as I write regularly in the journal. So I keep the finished ones in there. The one I keep right now. Starts just a few day before I finished training. So it has everything from my point of view. Graduation, Trost, my imprisonment, meeting you and Erwin, the court hearing. Everything. The events themselves you know. My thoughts and feeling. The other things going on with me at the time. No one knows.”  
“Except Arlet.”  
“Even then he only knows one major thing. Something I discovered in training. It's only obvious in my current journal because of other things happening that are tied with it. But he knows nothing else and he doesn’t ask. He knows that despite my rather loud and abrasive nature, I still value privacy.”   
“I see”.  
“It bothers you?”  
“No...not really... I suppose I find myself wanting to know more about you.”  
Eren gives a very obviously pained smile.  
One that made Levi want to comfort the boy.  
“And I wish I knew more about you other then you Have a troubled past, have OCD, your favorite tea, your love of horses and that You are protective and care more then you let on about those around you. But like me, your not really the sharing type.”  
Levi blinked a bit.  
“You know my favorite tea and that I love horses?”  
Eren paled really fast.  
“I...It's more of a guess based on observation.” Eren stuttered.  
Levi rose an eyebrow at that.  
“And your guess?”  
“Lavender Earl Grey”.  
“Hm Your correct”.  
Eren smiles a little before turning red and looking away.  
“I believe it's breakfast time.”  
“Right let's go then.”  
Eren follows Levi up the step and joins his friends.  
“Eren...”  
“Hm?”  
“Why didn’t you tell me you were still keeping journals.”  
“Because I didn’t want anyone to know. Lest they pull a Jean and try to read them.”  
Mikasa looked sad at that and Armin pated Eren’s back in comfort.   
Nothing more was said and they ate with mild light hearted chatter. Well until Jean stomped in from his run and glared daggers at Eren.  
“Hey don’t glare at me, you got yourself into this shit when you decided to steal from a comrade.”  
Jean gets very close to Eren.  
“I will find out what your hiding maniac then we’ll see how everyone views you then.”  
“I’m not hiding anything anyone will care about” Eren lied.   
Jean scoffs “If that was true you wouldn’t have almost kicked me through a wall in your hissy fit.”  
“I had a right to be pissed about a comrade steal personal items from me Horse face.”  
“No You were terrified and I will find out what it is.”  
Eren growled lowly and all their friends backed up expecting Eren to snap. Instead Eren’s eyes go dark green and cold.   
“Try it Horse face and I won't be the only one who’s personal secrets are exposed. I’m more observant than people give me credit for.”  
“Please you got nothing on me.”  
Eren leans in so only Jean could hear him.  
“Marco was quite vocal that night by the lake during our training days.”  
Jean paled and staggered back.   
“H...How”.  
“I liked to go for walks before bed. Now you were saying about my secrets Horse face.”  
“I got it, I got it, Backing off no need to be so hasty.”  
Eren gave an uncharacteristically cold smile. One that reminded Levi of the kind he gave back in the days of the underground just before he kicked the shit out of some swine or another. He never thought Eren capable of giving such a look. It didn’t look right on his normally innocent face and normally bright and blazing green eyes.   
“See how easy it is to come to an understanding. Now fuck off so we can eat in piece.”  
Jean left without another word and everyone except Armin and Mikasa stared in shock. This of course told Levi, this was the first time in front of the cadets he reacted like this but not the first time his two friends seen it. Levi’s curiosity was peaked.   
Eren finished his breakfast and left to gear up for training.   
“What the hell was that about” Conny asked confused.  
“Yeah it’s not often Eren goes Dark Eren like that but if he feels like someone is trying to cause him or his loved ones obvious harm he goes Dark like that. Unfortunately the Dark Eren thing will last a few days before he returns to normal unless someone with enough sway over his emotions pulls him out of it. But sadly even Me and Mikasa can’t pull him out. Best to avoid Eren, or at least Avoid pissing him off when he is in Dark Eren state.”  
“Why?”  
“Well instead of explosive angry and punches and such. Dark Eren hurts the mind.”  
“Who do you think would be able to pull him out?”  
“I don’t know. To be honest. Only one who could before was his mother. But with her dead. We will have to wait it out.”  
“Do you think the Captain could pull him out?”  
Armin looked at Sasha with a thoughtful look.  
“If he has enough sway over Eren’s emotions yes. But Captain Levi would have to avoid setting Eren off or he will have the opposite effect.”  
“And how do I do that?”  
Armin jumps at the sound of his voice.  
“Oh um you have to show you mean him no harm. you are not a current threat to his well being. You can’t act like you normal do, as no offense you act rather abrasive. To calm him. You yourself have to be calm.”  
“how long has he had this dark side.”  
“It was always there but normally its only in his mind he just don’t allow the thoughts to show. But every now and then that filter, that perfect innocent but determined act he uses falls. Showing a darker side. Sure both are really him. Both are true. All except the innocents. You don’t see the things he saw and maintain true innocents. He normal just knows not to treat jerks like Jean with the cold hostility and instead the fiery side.”  
“So Dark Eren is Eren just the Eren that was pushed to far.”  
“Pretty much yes.”  
“I’ll give it a shot.”  
“If I can’t pull him out what make you think you can shorty” Mikasa asked harshly.  
Something seemed to spark in Armin's eyes.  
“He has a better chance then you Mikasa. Every time you try you either act like your his mom or you try to appeal to a love interest that's just not there. Your his sister and that's all he sees you as so your attempts anger him. I’m his brother and I act like it. Neither a sister or brother have the kind of Emotional sway needed to pull Eren from that darkness.”  
“But He can? How?”  
“He is his Captain and Eren is first and foremost a soldier. Think about it. Levi straight up beat the heck out of Eren. Sure it was to save Eren but still. Yet Eren never went dark. He put Eren in a freaking cell and yet he never went dark despite his absolute hatred of feeling trapped. Despite the abrasive and distant nature of Captain still Eren trusts him wholeheartedly. So yes I believe if the captain can figure out the right way to respond to dark Eren he can pull Eren back from that darkness.”  
Levi thought over it and takes a deep breath before going down to see Eren.  
He enters the cell to see Eren in only his uniform pants.   
Eren turns, cold dark green meets steel blue.  
“Captain to what do I owe the pleasure of another visit.”  
“Is it wrong for me to visit?”  
“Your the Captain i’m just another of your soldiers. You can do as you please.”  
Levi heard the words for what they were. A test, A warning and A plea.  
“I maybe your Captain, Eren, but I also care about you.”  
He notices the green eyes lighten slightly. But the defensive posture said he didn’t quite believe him.  
“You know Eren you’re an interesting person. I wish to get to know more about you. Outside of the bounds of Captain and soldier.”  
The set posture loosens slightly.  
‘Ok so he responses to positive emotion and thoughts outside of the strict professional scope. So a friend? but he has friends, Arlet stated someone with more sway over emotions then a brother or sister. Is friend strong enough?’  
“You want to learn about me, you said that before.”  
“Yes and you said you wanted to learn more about me.”  
The cold guarded look was still there but he could see a small spark of interest.  
“We can learn about each other. Get to know each other.”  
“Why? You don’t normally get close to others why me?”  
That was a great and difficult question. One Levi was more than a little worried about answering under the best of situations but when he is in the mood to mess with minds when pissed. Not a pleasant situation. But something in him told him to trust Eren.  
“Because Eren I trust you. I find I like being around you. So I want to get to know you and trust you to know me.”  
When his words suck in Eren’s eyes softened and warmed. Then he gave a light hearted smile.  
Levi sighed in relief which Eren noticed and understood.  
“You were worried about me in that mental state. Probably about my reaction to you. Armin would have warned you about it before you stepped foot in here. Yet you risked it.”  
“Like I said brat I trust you.”  
Eren chuckled at that.   
“Good to know Captain.”  
“Um Eren?”  
“Yes?”  
“Your still half naked.”  
“Huh...” Eren looks down and turns bright red.  
“I hate dark me so fucking much” He muttered making Levi choke on laughter.  
“Oh shut it. Its not funny.”  
“Kind of is. So Dark you has no issue being shirtless but this you blushes like tomato.”  
Eren mutters something Levi couldn’t hear.  
“What was that?”  
“N..nothing”.  
“No tell me what you said.”  
“R..really it was nothing.”  
“Eren...Tell me.”  
“Fine I said Dark me wouldn’t have cared if I was completely fucking nude when you walked in.”  
This time it was Levi’s turn to blush as that mental picture turned his brain to gibberish.  
Eren was a bit concerned at Levi was just sort of staring at him and was doing a rather entertaining impression of a strawberry. He waves his hand in front of his face.  
“Captain...Hello Snap out of it.”  
Levi blinked rapidly for a moment.  
“sorry.”  
“Care to explain what happened there?”  
Levi shifts uncomfortably.  
Then it dawned on Eren.  
“Captain...are you gay?”   
He watch Levi tense and become guarded.  
“And If I am?”  
Eren blinks then gives an understanding smile.  
“Calm down Levi. I sure as hell am not going to judge. Hell that would be rather hypocritical of me.”  
“Why would that...wait you are too?”  
“Yes hence the extreme reaction to Jean having my journal.”  
Levi shuttered at that.  
“That I understand. Wait does that mean you wrote about someone you like?” Levi teased to lighten the mood.  
Eren stuttered violently.  
“w...what m...make you think that.”  
“You said the current journal had information tied to a realization you had during your training years. I assume the realization was your sexuality and the only thing in a journal that would be tied to that is a crush.”  
Eren was avoiding eye contact.  
“I’m curious as to whom it is.”  
Eren stepped back slightly.   
“Levi...please stop...”  
“Why, It’s not like ill tell anyone let alone the guy you like. I’m not cruel.”  
He shuttered knowing if he told Levi it wasn’t others he was worried about. Then an idea sparked.  
“Fine I’ll make you a deal Captain. I’ll tell you who I like after you tell me who you like. Only fair. Or you can observe me and try to guess who it is.”  
“Testy, But I suppose I understand the fear. Fine I stated I trust you. So I’ll tell you.”  
Levi sound calm and sure but internally he was panicking. How would Eren react. Would he be mad, would he not trust Levi. Would he reject him?  
“You, Eren I have feeling for you.”  
Eren froze and stared for moment.  
“You say that but also say you know nothing about me.”  
“I know you like nature, your protective, determined and that you are very understanding and it takes a lot to actually get you to give up on someone. Sure I want to learn more about your thoughts, feeling and past. More of your likes and dislikes but its not like I know nothing.”  
Eren eased up slightly and before Levi could comprehend the relief that Eren didn’t seem mad. He felt lips press against his. It was soft and firm. Lasting only a moment before Eren pulls away.  
“I have feelings for you as well Levi.”  
Eren gave a gentle calm smile that made Levi’s heart stutter.   
Week passes with Eren and Levi learning more about each others pasts and interests. Before both together came out to there comrades and friends. Jean later apologized for being a dick. But Mikasa well it will take some time for her to be ok with everything. Erwin claimed he was not surprised.


End file.
